It's What A Leading Man Does
by Schizzar
Summary: Down on their luck, Fran and Balthier have no choice but to accept help from Vaan and Penelo. Perhaps something Balthier's been dying to say will finally come out in the open.


**Another gift fic, this one for the lovely Majestic lunacy on deviantart. If you are interested in finding my other gift fics, go to my deviantart. schizzar . deviantart . com. Enjoy the boy love. :D I don't own Final Fantasy XII. Rated T for a little lime.**

"You have got to be kidding me," Balthier muttered.

There in front of him, stood that blasted street rat turned sky pirate. With _his _treasure. Fran sighed from beside him, crossing her arms over her chest and stalking away.

"Finally beat you," Vaan said, tossing the blue jewel in the air a few times, catching it easily before pocketing it. "After all those times you got the treasure first, it's my turn to win."

"This isn't a game Vaan, now hand it over," Balthier said, gesturing towards him.

"I found it! It's mine!"

"Not this again," Balthier sighed. "I'm not fighting you. Fran, let's go."

"Not gonna stay for awhile?" The voice came from behind them and he whirled around to see Penelo standing at the exit from the small cave, a large katana strapped to her back. "It's been awhile Balthier. Can't we talk?"

"I don't have time for that," Balthier said, waving a hand in dismissal.

"It is not like we can go back to Queen Ashe if we get in a tough spot," Fran said, striding past Penelo. "We are wanted no matter where we go."

"What about Rozarria?" Vaan asked, racing up behind Balthier so they were side by side. "You aren't wanted there, are you?"

"Actually, we ended up breaking into a noble's house on accident and we were arrested. We broke out, naturally."

"But now we are wanted there too," Fran finished.

"So you really are wanted everywhere. That sucks," Vaan said. "We have some food if you're running low."

Balthier and Fran stopped, both of looking at one another. Puzzled at not hearing them following, Penelo and Vaan stopped to look back at them, gazes questioning. Ignoring the younger two, Fran and Balthier continued their mental conversation. They hadn't eaten in two days, unless one counted a handful of nuts Fran had managed to find in the Ogir-Yensa Sandsea, they didn't have the money to buy anymore, and were both out of ammo to kill something to eat. That jewel had been their last chance at getting food. They could sneak into Archadia and beg some food off of someone, but Balthier was a leading man. He did not beg. Ever.

But if it was offered...

"A leading man is always prepared. I do have food. Really. But it would be nice to catch up," Balthier finally said, looking away from Fran.

"Oh, so you did miss me!" Vaan said.

"Or he just doesn't want to admit that he's starving," Penelo said, crooking up an eyebrow and turning away.

"Huh?"

"Come on Vaan!" Penelo called, racing up the cave trail and out into the Tchita Uplands.

"You've done well. Almost as well as me," Balthier commented as he sat down on the bed.

Vaan sat down across from him on the floor, biting into an apple. "Way better than you. Five rooms, and a bathroom. And I still have full maneuvering capabilities that equal the Strahl."

"Cut it out Vaan, I'm trying to be the leading man here," Balthier said, leaning back against the wall.

"I got my skills from you," Vaan said, giving him a smile. Balthier felt his stomach clench at that beautiful expression. Gods, the things that boy did to his head, and to make it worse, the ex-street rat didn't even know it.

"Yeah well, don't surpass your master. This is only a rough patch. Fran and I will be out of our slump in no time," Balthier said.

"Wait...you're in a rough patch? What happened? Is the Strahl damaged? Is that why you agreed to eat with us? You freeloader!" Vaan cried, eyes widening with realization.

Chuckling, Balthier leaned forward on his knees so that he and Vaan were inches away from each other. "You may be succeeding at the sky pirate business, but you are still lacking in the thinking department."

"So...you didn't actually miss me?" Vaan asked, pulling away and looking down at his hands. "We haven't seen each other in years. I thought maybe you actually missed me and Penelo."

"Vaan."

"The only way you ever contacted me was a mocking note where our treasure _would _be. Did...did our journey mean nothing to you? Do you still see Basch, or Ashe, or anyone?" he asked, still not looking at him.

"I can't, Vaan. At least not easily."

"But you could see me! And you never did!" he accused. "I guess you just didn't like us as much."

"Remember what I said about lacking in the thinking department? Still true. You have to understand that Fran and I went years without ever having other companions. It wasn't until you stole that bloody treasure that we even considered it being possible to work with others. And then you turned my life upside down." Balthier sighed, slipping his hand under Vaan's chin and making him look up.

Disgruntled, Vaan tugged away. "Are you still mad about that?"

"Meeting you has made my life a lot better. Even if it was troublesome for awhile," Balthier said, scooting off the bed and sitting before him, eye to eye. "May I be honest with you, Vaan?"

"Um, yeah?"

Balthier chuckled once more, shaking his head. "Don't sound so unsure. Well, I'll be honest. Caring for people scares me, quite a lot. And I cared for all of you, by the end. I started caring a lot more than I was used to, especially when I-"

"Let's not talk about that part," Vaan said. "I don't...like thinking about that day."

He cocked his head to the side. "Why not?"

"You scared me. I have nightmares about that," Vaan said. "Well, had. Not anymore."

"I'm sorry."

Vaan shrugged. "You did the right thing."

"Well. I don't like caring for people. It put me in a bad spot in Archades and it gives my enemies another target to get at me. But I do care, and about you more than anyone."

"So why did you run away for so long?"

"Because I was scared."

"I thought leading men didn't run away," Vaan teased, though his voice was more sad than anything.

"We do when we're in love. Leading men are supposed to court beautiful young ladies, and many of them. Not one beautiful young man."

Moments passed as they looked at one another, and Balthier wished, rather desperately, that he could take those blasted words back.

"Did you just call me beautiful? I'm not a girl!"

"Did you just miss the love confession?"

"No!" Vaan flushed. "But I don't like being described as a girl."

"Fine, handsome young man. There."

"Did you mean it?"

"Do I love you? I think so."

"You think so?" Vaan stood up. "Balthier, I don't enjoy being mocked. You can get out of my airship now."

"Vaan, no."

Balthier seized the boy's wrist and tugged him down, regretting this decision as Vaan lost his balance and landed in his lap, hands grasping the bed on either side of his head with his face mere inches from Balthier's. A few moments passed and Balthier closed his eyes, closing the gap between them. Vaan's lips didn't move for a few tense seconds, and then his arms moved down, just enough so that he could slip his fingers into that tawny brown hair and move closer.

Balthier had been expecting a clumsy teenage kiss, full of awkward mistakes. Instead, he got an expert tongue easily dominating his mouth as it dove in and took what it wanted, tasting him thoroughly. He finally got enough sense to bring his arms up and wrap them tightly around Vaan's waist, tugging him closer as they kissed.

"I think we should go to bed now," Balthier said after finally pulling away.

"You're mocking me," Vaan panted against his lips, eyes hooded. "You really want to sleep at a time like this?"

"By bed I mean fuck," Balthier whispered, placing a kiss to the boy's jaw. "Now get up."

When Vaan woke, his bed was empty. When he checked the rest of the airship, he found no trace of Balthier or Fran. The man had run out on him.

"You are an idiot."

"Why thank you Fran, but I do believe I did not ask for your opinion," Balthier said. "Damn, we're out of fuel. Just my bloody luck."

"Oh it gets better. Look," Fran said, pointing out the window and across the uplands. Vaan and Penelo were slowly but steadily making their way towards them, and there was no way to hide. With the lack of fuel, came a lack of energy, and without energy, he couldn't activate his cloaking device.

"Fran. I am an idiot."

"I did say that. Are we going to let them in?"

"Do we have a choice?" Balthier sighed. "Open the hatch and distract Penelo. I need to talk to Vaan alone."

"Of course."

Fran got out of her seat and left as Balthier put his face in his hands, rubbing it a few times. He waited, heart pounding, as Vaan climbed up the steps and pulled himself into the room, standing in the doorway.

"You're a bastard."

"I know."

"So what now?"

Balthier stood up. "I apologize, beg for you to stay with me, and confess my undying love for you."

"Because that's what a leading man does, right? Well, I'm not accepting your apology," Vaan said, eyes storming.

"Then why'd you come all the way here?"

Vaan hesitated. "I..."

Balthier crossed the distance between the, cupping Vaan's face in both of his hands. "I love you Vaan. I do. I'm just scared, so I ran away. It isn't what a leading man is supposed to do, but I can't help it."

"If you love me, then stay with me," Vaan said.

"I'm a sky pirate, I have to roam."

"So let's roam together," Vaan whispered, grabbing Balthier's wrists and pulling them away, twisting his fingers to lace with the older sky pirate's.

"But it's always been Fran and I," Balthier protested.

"But you love me."

"Okay. Okay. We can do it. But we'll need two ships if we take Penelo along," Balthier said.

Vaan smiled, the expression lighting up his whole face and making Balthier's stomach twist in that delightfully annoying way again. "No we won't. I'm taking her back to Rabanastre soon, so she can open up her own shop. It's where most of the money we manage to get goes to."

"Oh? So we'll take the Strahl then. I'm not leaving her behind," Balthier said. "Not even for you, Vaan. She comes first."

"She does? Would you take a bullet for her."

"Of course."

"What about me?"

"...Maybe."

"Balthier!" Vaan shoved him away, frowning.

Balthier twisted an arm around Vaan's hips, tugging him close before backing him into the wall, pressing his forehead to the younger's. "I'm kidding, Vaan. I care for you a bit more than her. But only a bit."

"Oh. That's a relief."

Balthier pressed their lips together once more, wondering how he could've possibly run away from the boy in the first place.

"We have a room for that," Fran said as she entered the room. "Penelo's going to go get us some fuel."

Vaan recoiled, blushing furiously. "I...sorry Fran."

Fran looked over her shoulder, smilingly coyly. "I hope you don't mind sharing a bed with me too. The Strahl only has one room after all."

"What?"

"Vaan," Balthier said, trying not to laugh at the panic in the boy's eyes.

"I can't do that! What if we want to do something and then she's...but that's...I-"

"Vaan. She's kidding."

"Oh..."

"Well, Fran, as the leading man, I have business to attend to," Balthier said, wrapping an arm around Vaan's waist and gracefully picking him up, tossing him over his shoulder. "Please entertain yourself somehow."

"Of course."

"Balthier!" Vaan cried, flailing helplessly. "How can you talk about it like that?"

Fran patted the younger's shoulder as she walked past them. "He's the leading man. It's what he does."

Vaan continued to protest, though without any real meaning, as Balthier carried him down the hallway, chuckling as he did so.


End file.
